The long summer football drought is about to end in Atlanta as rabid football fans across the metro area prepare to converge on the Georgia Dome tonight when the Falcons host the Tennessee Titans. Fans desire to watch football once again unfortunately is going to smack helmet to helmet with Atlanta’s notoriously bad Friday evening rush hour.
“A seven o’clock kickoff on Friday night combined with a Friday Atlanta rush hour always makes it challenging to get people to the dome,” said Jason Kirksey, senior communications specialist for the Georgia Dome.
The battle between commuters and football fans could be fierce and Kirksey has advice for those heading to the Dome.
“If you don’t have a parking pass, take MARTA,” Kirksey said. “We have two MARTA stops within walking distance of the Dome (Vine City and Georgia Dome) and many MARTA stations offer free parking.”
This season, like last, fans have 1,500 fewer parking spaces available because of the on-going construction of the new stadium next to the existing Dome. Good news is coming in the fall however, as a new parking deck with 600 additional spaces is set to open.
Falcons fans might remember some traffic and parking woes getting to the Dome last season. This year Dome authorities hope for a smoother process.
“We took some bumps and bruises last year,” Kirksey said. It was a learning process. Losing part of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Georgia Dome Drive didn’t help.”
Gridlock updatesMark Arum’s column appears Mondays. Listen to his traffic reports daily on News 95.5 and AM750 WSB, and see him each morning on Channel 2 Action News. Connect with Mark on Twitter: @markarum.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
